Are you reaching a plateau in your rock climbing training? Many times we improve quickly when we start scaling, but then progress slows after the initial improvement in skill and strength. This can be frustrating, and overcoming it means changing your training to provide new challenges for your muscles. Adding weighted pull-ups to your climbing workout is one of the best ways to do this, and it can do wonders for your strength. Let’s take a look at why that is.
The science behind the heavyweight
There are a few different results from training your muscles: increased endurance, increased muscle size (muscle hypertrophy), and increased strength. Endurance and strength are very important for climbers, but we want to limit hypertrophy so the extra body mass doesn’t hold us back. A high strength to weight ratio is very important here.
To increase muscle strength you must lift very heavy loads. Lifting heavier weights trains your neuromuscular pathways to be more efficient by forcing them to recruit additional muscle fibers to lift the load. Conditioning your muscles to be more efficient allows you to gain strength without gaining muscle mass. This is exactly what we want as climbers!
For optimal strength gains, you should use enough weight that you can only do 3-5 repetitions of an exercise. The goal of this is to load the muscles more than they are used to so they learn to work more efficiently. It is important to rest completely between sets, for 3 to 5 minutes. You don’t want to tire your muscles, which would instead increase endurance or muscle size. Aim for 3 or 4 of these sets.
Avoid taking the bodybuilder approach to lifting weights. Bodybuilders typically perform 8-12 reps with lighter loads and shorter rest periods to focus on stretching and increasing muscle size. This results in giant muscles that are not very functional for rock climbing.
Add Weight to Pull Ups
Pull-ups are one of the best climbing exercises to perform with added weight. They will allow you to build arm and back strength quite quickly. This will allow you to perform more intensive climbing moves like lockouts and one-arm pull-ups. Of course, you should only train weighted pull-ups if you have a good base of strength to begin with. If you can’t do at least ten pull-ups with your own bodyweight, you need to focus on them first.
You can add weight in a number of ways. Putting rocks in a backpack, hanging weights from a climbing harness, or wearing a weighted vest are all effective methods of adding weight. It is even possible to hold weights with your feet if you have no other alternative. However, this method is not optimal as it does not allow you to fully focus on your pull up. As stated above, when working on weighted pull-ups, you should use a weight that will only allow you to do 3-5 pull-ups before failing. Adjust your weight accordingly.
Try to work on your weighted pull-ups 2-3 times per week. You can do them after climbing, but don’t do them on days when you are very tired. You want to be at relatively high force levels when you work on them.
Be sure to warm up properly before adding weight. These series are very strenuous and you don’t want to insult yourself. Between each set, be sure to rest until you feel fully recovered. Don’t be afraid to allow up to five minutes between sets. You don’t want to pull out the muscles; we want them at full capacity. Perform 3 to 4 sets of these weighted pull-ups.
After just a few weeks of training weighted pull-ups, you should see significant gains in your climbing strength. You’ll feel lighter and faster on the wall, and normal pull-ups should be a breeze. After a few months your progress may slow again, at which point you may want to take a break and focus on stamina. A cyclical training pattern that alternates the focus between strength and endurance keeps your training from stagnating.